Sorce 1: African Leopard on Grassland Savanah Tree
Introduction The African leopard. Latin Name 'Panthera pardus", is a member of the the Felidae family and the leopard is also the smallest of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, the other three big cats that are within that group are lion, tiger and jaguar. The sucessful of the African leopard of how it can adapt in the wild by themeselve is due to its opportunitic hunting behaviour, its adaptability to habitats, the leopard also advantage its that the leopard have the ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph). The leapard adveantages that other predators like lions and tiger doesn't have, its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass and its notorious ability for stealth. This page will examine this animal adaption towards the environment and the physical ability of this animal.
Video Source 1: African Leopard Hunting
Scientific Classification Of African Leopard LevelClassification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Felidae
Genus
Panthera
Species
P. pardus
Subspecies
P. p. pardus
Trinomial Name
Panthera pardus pardus
Habitat African Leopard are inhabit in a wide range of habitats within Africa. African leopard can be found in various places from mountainous forests to grasslands and savannahs, but it is rare that this mammal will be found within sandy desert. The african leopard lives in temperatures within 25 to 35 degrees.
However African Leopard are most abundant in undisturbed rainforest. This leopard also like to live in areas of grassland where there are trees. Here they can sleep hidden during the heat of the day. They can also enjoy the afternoon breeze and avoud the insects that live in the grass below.
Leopard also prefer to eat up in a tree, out of the reach of scavengers. African are most at risk in areas of semi-desert, where scarce resources often result conflict with the nomadic farmers and their livestock.
Like many predator, african leopard generally absent in areas with a high population desnsity of people, which may result to destroying their crops, stealing food and attacking people within the area. The african leopard may inhabit temperatures within -20 degrees during the winter. African Leopard likes to live in grassland where there are trees. Here they can sleep hidden during the heat of the day. They can also enjoy the afternoon breeze and avoid the insects that live in the grass below. African leopard also prefer to eat up in a tree, out of the reach of scavengers.
Source 2: African Leopard Distribution Map Throughout AfricaSource 3: African Leopard Habitat Area Forest
Source 5: African Leopard SkeletonSource 6: Male African Leopard Skull
Physical Adaptation Muscles
Both inside and outside, of the leopard are designed to be skilled hunters and killers. The thick back and shoulder muscles helps the african leopard to be excellent jumpers and climbers. The leopard have a very strong shoulder and neck muscles for attacking prey. The muscles also absorb some of the impact when the african leopard pounces from high above from trees for attacking their prey.
Inside of the African Leopard
A good heart and lungs gives the african leopard plenty of oxygen for running for a long distance to hunt down its prey. The african leopard stomach and intestines are developed to digest its prey meat easily, but it cannot digest plants. Its intestine are quite short, so this will help make their food passes through quickly. This means as soon as it needs more food, the leopard will be light enough to run and pounce. However, if the leopard has had a big meal, it will not need to eat again for several of days. African Leopard are warm-blooded animals, which means that their temperature no matter how hot or cold the weather is. The fur on the leopard skin keeps it warm and when conditions are cold. When it is hot, the african leopard cool down by sweating through their nose and paw pads
Claw The sharp, curved claws that grow on a leopard from all their digits are their weapons. One of the digits on a cat's front foot is called the dew claw. This is held off the ground to keep it sharp and ready for the african leopard to get ready to hold on their prey.The african leopard retract their claws into fleshy sheaths to protect them. This prevents the leopard from getting blunt or damaged. The sheathed claw is protected by a fleshly covering and the claw is unsheathed when a muscle tightens.
Source 7: African Leopard Claw
Sight and Sound The african leopard is one of the most successful creature to live in their range of haitat is because it hunts well, and the leopard can also not be seen or heard by their prey or enemies, the leopard uses their sense of sight, sound and touch.
The leopard's eyesight is exellent. Their eyes are adapted for night vision, but they can also see well in the the day. The leopard's eyes are bug compared to the size of their heads. The african leopard have good binocular vision, which allows it accurately to judge how far away objects are. At night the african leopard see colours in black and white. The african leopard can see colour in the day , but not so well as humans can. Behind the retina in a leopard eyes is a reflecting layer called the tapetum lucidum, This helps the leopard to absorb extra light in the dark. When light shines into the eyes at night, the reflectors glow. The binocular vision of the african leopard helps it to judge when to strike. Because its eyes are set slightly apart at the front of the head, their field of view overlaps. This enables a the african leopard to judge the position of its prey exactly. The lens focuses light rays to produce a sharp image on the retina. Impulses from the retina are carried to the brain by the optic nerve. The african leopard have a membrane that can be pulled over the surface of the eye to keep out dir t and dust.
The african leopard have a good hearing, that is much better than a human. The african leopard can hear small animals rustling through the grass or even moving around in their burrows underground. The earflaps of the leopard helps concentrate sound waves deep into each ear.
Source 8: African Leopard Eye Day VisionSource 9: African Leopard Night Vision
Touching, Tasting, Smelling and Communication Touching
Like all amimals, the leopard feel things with nerve in their skin, but the african leopard have another important tool, their whiskers. The long stiff hairs on the face of the african leopard have very sensitive nerve endings at their roots. Some whiskers are for protection. Anything the whiskers above the leopard will make it blink. The african leopard's face is surrounded by sensitive whiskers. The african leopard uses their whiskers to judge how far away objects are. The most important whiskers are on the sides of the face, These help the leopard to feel its way in the dark, or when it is walking through tall grass.
Source 10: African Leopard Whiskers
Smelling The african leopard nose is very sensitive. It uses their nose for smell and taste to communicate with each other. The thin, curled bones in the nose carry scents inwards to smell receptors. By tasting the air, the african leopard uses its Jacobson's organ, the special scent centre on the roof of the mouth helps to detect the scent left by another leopard. The african leopard gets as much of the scent as it can, the leopard wrinkles his nose, curls up his lips upwards, bares his teeth and lifts his head. This action is known as flehmen. Male african leopard use it especially to locate females that are ready to mate. The leopard raises its head and grimaces to taste the air. The leopard twitch their tails from side to side as they concentrate. When angry the leopard tail lashes to and fro.
Source 11: African Leopard Nose Sense
Tasting The african leopard tounge is a useful. Unlike most animals, the african leopard have a special places on the roof of their mouths to distinguish scents, especially of other cats. The african leopard curls the tip of its tounge like a spoon to lap up water. After several laps it will drink the water in one gulp. As well as drinking, the tounge is used for tasting, scraping meat off carcass and grooming. The african leopard are bright pink tounge that has a very rough surface. The african leopard tounge are covered with small spikes called papillae. The papillae point are used by the leopard, together with its teeth, to strip meat off bones. Around the edge and at the tounge are taste buds. The african leopard cannot taste sweet things, but can actively recognize pure water.. The long rough tounge of the leopard makes a very good comb. It uses its tounge to removes loose hairs and combs the fur flat and straight. The leopard wipe their faces, coats and paws clean. The african leopard need to keep well groomed and spend a time looking after their fur. The hair that the leopard may swallowed by grooming is spat out as a furball.
Source 12: African Leopard Tounge Tasting
Communication The african leopard communicates by signals such as smells, scratches and sounds. The smells comes from urine and from scent glands. The african leopard have scent glands on their heads and chins, betweem their toes and at the base of their tails. Every time the leopard rub against something, they transfer special scent. The african leopard also communicate by using body language. They use their ears to signal their mood and twitch their tails to show if they are excited. The african leopard like scratch things to clean their claws and stretch their limbs. At the same time they leave a scented mark for others to both see and smell.The african leopard may also spray urine to mark its territory, this scent marks left by a make tells other males to stay away. The scent left by a female will tell a male passing through her range is she is ready to mate. The african leopard hisses at an enemy. The african leopard hiss and spit when they feel threatened or when they are fighting an enemy. The position of the leopard ears also signals its intentions. When they are about to attack, it flattens its ears back against its neck. The female leopard may also communicate with their cubs alot. The sounds are quiet so enemies do not hear. The softest and safest sound of all is purring.
Source 13: African Leopard Hissing When Threatened
Spots The african leopard fur coat protects its skin and keeps it warm. The coat's colours and pattern helps to camouflage the leopard as it hunts prey. The african leopard coats have two layes, an undercoat of short soft fur and an outercoat of tougher, longer hairs, called guard hairs. Together these two layers insulate the leopard from extreme cold or exteme heat. Some guard hairs are senstive and help a leopard to feel its way. The african leopard loose skin, making it difficult for an attacker to get a good grip and helping to prevent injuriy. The colours and patterns of the wild leopard coats depends on where it lives.
Source 14: African Leopard Skin Pattern
Other Relatives-Panthers Many leopard of the same species come in variation of colour, depending on where they live. The leopard sometimes may have a twin, but the other one may have a much darker, blackish coat. This black leopard are called panthers, Some panthers live deeply in the shadows of the forest, where darker colouring allows the panther to hide more easily from their prey or enemies. Panther are most commonly located within Asia.
Source 15: Panther
Phycological Behaviour and Diet
Hunting African Leopard spend a lot of time in trees and they are designed for climbing. The african leopard have a very powerful chests and front legs. Their shoulder blades are positioned to the side to make them better climbers. The african leopard can leap 3m/10ft without any difficulty and, in exceptional circumstances, it can leap over 6m/20ft. The african leopard can chase its prey through the scrub.
When the african leopard stalk, run and pounce, they make use of their flexible backs, strong back legs, powerful chests and cushioning pads under their paws. The african leopard back legs are especially powerful. The back legs provides the major thrust for running. The african leopard can outspace their prey over short distances before launching into a final jump. The thick pads that are under a african leopard are like cushion. The thick pads allows the african leopard to move very quietly and also act as shock absorbers for running and jumping. Hidden between the pads and fur are the leopard's claws, tucked away safely until they are needed.
Source 16: African Leopard Pad
Psycological Behaviour The african leopard are one of the most widespread of all big cats, but they are also the most secretive. The african leopard live in many different habitats throughout Africa, in open, rocky country as well as in the forest. Not much is known about them because african leopard are nocturnal animals, and the african leopard hunts during the night. They sometimes creep up on prey on the ground, then pounce. At other tines they may ambush their prey from a tree.
The african leopard usually sleep all day in a tree, especially when it is very hot. Their spotted coats are exellent camouflage in the patchwork of light and shade in the forest. They are aso good that, when they are resting, they are especially hard to see. Leopard normally lives alone by themeselve, not like lions they live in pride. African leopard comes together only when a female sigmals to a male that she is ready to mate. After mating they seperate again. The mother african leopard brings up the cubs until thehy are able to fend for themselve.
Diet The african leopard like to ambush prey.The african leopard will normally climb on to a low branch and wait for an animal to walk underneath. Then the african leopard will then jump down from the tree and grab their prey. The african leopard uses its great strength to drag its victim high up into the tree. Prey that the african leopard will hunt includes pigs, antelopes, monkeys, dogs and many other animals. After hunting their prey, the african leopard will drag its dead victim across the ground. The african leopard have strong jaws, chest and front legs so that they can move animals as big as themselve.. The african leopard will then drags its kill up into tree. This is to prevent the carcass from being stolen. This prevent other big carnivours that live in the same area cannot climb trees so well as the african leopard. Once the prey is safe, the african leopard will finish its meal.
Source 17: African Leopard Eating a antelope on tree
Reproduction and Birth
Reproduction Arican Leopard roam over large areas, so it can be difficult for them to find a partner. When the female african leopard are ready to mate, they use scent markers. These are like advertisement to all the other male african leopard in the district. A female african leopard will also calls loudly in the hope that a nearby male will come to her. Often more than one male will follow a female. This almost always leads to a fights between the interested males. The winner of the fight then begins to court the female. The african leopard may mate all year around or seasonally during January and Febuary. The estrous cycle may lasts about 46 days amd the female usually is in heat for 6-7 days. The gestations period will lasts for 90-105 days. When the female african leopard is ready to mate, she crouches on the ground with her hindquarters slightly raised. The male african leopard will sit behind and over her and sometimes holds the scruff of her neck between his jaws. The african leopard may mate several times a day for up to a week to make sure that the female african leopard is pregnant.
Source 18: African Leopard Mating
Birth The African Leopard will normally give birth in a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow trees, or thicket to make a den. The baby african leopard cubs are born with their eyes closed, which will open four to nine days after birth. The fur of the young african leopard cub tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. The african leopard cubs pelage is also more grey in colour with less defined spots. For around three months the cubs begin to follow the mother out on hunts. If at any time a mother african leopard thinks her cubs are in danger, shw will move them to a new den. She carries the cubs one by one, gently grasping the loose skin at their necks between her teeth. A mother african leopard's tail is a good thing for the cub to learn to pounce on. She twitches it so the cub can develop good co-ordination and timing. As the cubs grow, it will practise on rodents and then bigger animals until it can hunt for itself. Once they leave their mothers for around 18-24 months, female cubs will usually establish a territory close by, while males go farther away. The african leopard have been reported to reach 21 years of age in captivity.
Source 19: African Leopard Cub Playing with her mother's tail
Dangers
Enemies
The african leopard natural enemies may include the spotted hyena that lives in Africa and Western Asia. The spotted hyena eats whatever they can find. This is often carrion that the spotted hyena may kill cubs of the african leopard. Hyena have strong jaws and bone-crushing teeth and look for foods at night. The african leopard live in the same areas as cheetahs, but they are very hostile towards them. In fact, if they get a chance cheetahs may prey on leopards and their cubs. Lions will attack and kills a leopard to protect the pride or their territory.
Human Issues Tourism are one of the major impact that may affect the areas that the african leopard lives in, this may affect the leopard hunting for prey and frightened them away. Big cat trap made by poachers are often traps to catch big cats. When the trap snaps shut, the animal is stuck until it dies or until the poacher return to kill it. These traps cause great pain. A african leopard may try to chew off its trapped leg to escape. Poachers may hunt leopard for meat and to sell their skin to create clothing and decoration. While most leopard avoid people with face to face contact, humans may occasionally be targeted as prey. Most healthy african leopard prefer wild prey than humans. There were two extreme cases occured in India. "The Leopard of Rudraprayag, may have killed over 125 people. The second case "Panar Leopard", was believed to have killed more than 400 people. But over the last years after this two cases, the amount of cases about leopard attacking people has reduced and the population of the leopard has risen, and the african leopard is not concern as a endangered species.
Sorce 1: African Leopard on Grassland Savanah Tree
Introduction
The African leopard. Latin Name 'Panthera pardus", is a member of the the Felidae family and the leopard is also the smallest of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, the other three big cats that are within that group are lion, tiger and jaguar. The sucessful of the African leopard of how it can adapt in the wild by themeselve is due to its opportunitic hunting behaviour, its adaptability to habitats, the leopard also advantage its that the leopard have the ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph). The leapard adveantages that other predators like lions and tiger doesn't have, its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass and its notorious ability for stealth. This page will examine this animal adaption towards the environment and the physical ability of this animal.
Video Source 1: African Leopard Hunting
Scientific Classification Of African Leopard
Level Classification
Habitat
African Leopard are inhabit in a wide range of habitats within Africa. African leopard can be found in various places from mountainous forests to grasslands and savannahs, but it is rare that this mammal will be found within sandy desert. The african leopard lives in temperatures within 25 to 35 degrees.
However African Leopard are most abundant in undisturbed rainforest. This leopard also like to live in areas of grassland where there are trees. Here they can sleep hidden during the heat of the day. They can also enjoy the afternoon breeze and avoud the insects that live in the grass below.
Leopard also prefer to eat up in a tree, out of the reach of scavengers. African are most at risk in areas of semi-desert, where scarce resources often result conflict with the nomadic farmers and their livestock.
Like many predator, african leopard generally absent in areas with a high population desnsity of people, which may result to destroying their crops, stealing food and attacking people within the area. The african leopard may inhabit temperatures within -20 degrees during the winter. African Leopard likes to live in grassland where there are trees. Here they can sleep hidden during the heat of the day. They can also enjoy the afternoon breeze and avoid the insects that live in the grass below. African leopard also prefer to eat up in a tree, out of the reach of scavengers.
Source 2: African Leopard Distribution Map Throughout Africa Source 3: African Leopard Habitat Area Forest
Adaptation, Body Structure and Diet
Source 4: African Leopard Diagram
Name: African Leopard
Latin Name: Panthera pardus pardus
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Panthera
Mass: 60kg/132 lbs
Height: 60cm/23inches
Charging Speed: 80km/h/50mph
Potiential longevity: 21 years
Gestation period: 3 1/2 months
Source 5: African Leopard Skeleton Source 6: Male African Leopard Skull
Physical Adaptation
Muscles
Both inside and outside, of the leopard are designed to be skilled hunters and killers. The thick back and shoulder muscles helps the african leopard to be excellent jumpers and climbers. The leopard have a very strong shoulder and neck muscles for attacking prey. The muscles also absorb some of the impact when the african leopard pounces from high above from trees for attacking their prey.
Inside of the African Leopard
A good heart and lungs gives the african leopard plenty of oxygen for running for a long distance to hunt down its prey. The african leopard stomach and intestines are developed to digest its prey meat easily, but it cannot digest plants. Its intestine are quite short, so this will help make their food passes through quickly. This means as soon as it needs more food, the leopard will be light enough to run and pounce. However, if the leopard has had a big meal, it will not need to eat again for several of days. African Leopard are warm-blooded animals, which means that their temperature no matter how hot or cold the weather is. The fur on the leopard skin keeps it warm and when conditions are cold. When it is hot, the african leopard cool down by sweating through their nose and paw pads
Claw
The sharp, curved claws that grow on a leopard from all their digits are their weapons. One of the digits on a cat's front foot is called the dew claw. This is held off the ground to keep it sharp and ready for the african leopard to get ready to hold on their prey.The african leopard retract their claws into fleshy sheaths to protect them. This prevents the leopard from getting blunt or damaged. The sheathed claw is protected by a fleshly covering and the claw is unsheathed when a muscle tightens.
Source 7: African Leopard Claw
Sight and Sound
The african leopard is one of the most successful creature to live in their range of haitat is because it hunts well, and the leopard can also not be seen or heard by their prey or enemies, the leopard uses their sense of sight, sound and touch.
The leopard's eyesight is exellent. Their eyes are adapted for night vision, but they can also see well in the the day. The leopard's eyes are bug compared to the size of their heads. The african leopard have good binocular vision, which allows it accurately to judge how far away objects are. At night the african leopard see colours in black and white. The african leopard can see colour in the day , but not so well as humans can. Behind the retina in a leopard eyes is a reflecting layer called the tapetum lucidum, This helps the leopard to absorb extra light in the dark. When light shines into the eyes at night, the reflectors glow. The binocular vision of the african leopard helps it to judge when to strike. Because its eyes are set slightly apart at the front of the head, their field of view overlaps. This enables a the african leopard to judge the position of its prey exactly. The lens focuses light rays to produce a sharp image on the retina. Impulses from the retina are carried to the brain by the optic nerve. The african leopard have a membrane that can be pulled over the surface of the eye to keep out dir t and dust.
The african leopard have a good hearing, that is much better than a human. The african leopard can hear small animals rustling through the grass or even moving around in their burrows underground. The earflaps of the leopard helps concentrate sound waves deep into each ear.
Source 8: African Leopard Eye Day Vision Source 9: African Leopard Night Vision
Touching, Tasting, Smelling and Communication
Touching
Like all amimals, the leopard feel things with nerve in their skin, but the african leopard have another important tool, their whiskers. The long stiff hairs on the face of the african leopard have very sensitive nerve endings at their roots. Some whiskers are for protection. Anything the whiskers above the leopard will make it blink. The african leopard's face is surrounded by sensitive whiskers. The african leopard uses their whiskers to judge how far away objects are. The most important whiskers are on the sides of the face, These help the leopard to feel its way in the dark, or when it is walking through tall grass.
Source 10: African Leopard Whiskers
Smelling
The african leopard nose is very sensitive. It uses their nose for smell and taste to communicate with each other. The thin, curled bones in the nose carry scents inwards to smell receptors. By tasting the air, the african leopard uses its Jacobson's organ, the special scent centre on the roof of the mouth helps to detect the scent left by another leopard. The african leopard gets as much of the scent as it can, the leopard wrinkles his nose, curls up his lips upwards, bares his teeth and lifts his head. This action is known as flehmen. Male african leopard use it especially to locate females that are ready to mate. The leopard raises its head and grimaces to taste the air. The leopard twitch their tails from side to side as they concentrate. When angry the leopard tail lashes to and fro.
Source 11: African Leopard Nose Sense
Tasting
The african leopard tounge is a useful. Unlike most animals, the african leopard have a special places on the roof of their mouths to distinguish scents, especially of other cats. The african leopard curls the tip of its tounge like a spoon to lap up water. After several laps it will drink the water in one gulp. As well as drinking, the tounge is used for tasting, scraping meat off carcass and grooming. The african leopard are bright pink tounge that has a very rough surface. The african leopard tounge are covered with small spikes called papillae. The papillae point are used by the leopard, together with its teeth, to strip meat off bones. Around the edge and at the tounge are taste buds. The african leopard cannot taste sweet things, but can actively recognize pure water.. The long rough tounge of the leopard makes a very good comb. It uses its tounge to removes loose hairs and combs the fur flat and straight. The leopard wipe their faces, coats and paws clean. The african leopard need to keep well groomed and spend a time looking after their fur. The hair that the leopard may swallowed by grooming is spat out as a furball.
Source 12: African Leopard Tounge Tasting
Communication
The african leopard communicates by signals such as smells, scratches and sounds. The smells comes from urine and from scent glands. The african leopard have scent glands on their heads and chins, betweem their toes and at the base of their tails. Every time the leopard rub against something, they transfer special scent. The african leopard also communicate by using body language. They use their ears to signal their mood and twitch their tails to show if they are excited. The african leopard like scratch things to clean their claws and stretch their limbs. At the same time they leave a scented mark for others to both see and smell.The african leopard may also spray urine to mark its territory, this scent marks left by a make tells other males to stay away. The scent left by a female will tell a male passing through her range is she is ready to mate. The african leopard hisses at an enemy. The african leopard hiss and spit when they feel threatened or when they are fighting an enemy. The position of the leopard ears also signals its intentions. When they are about to attack, it flattens its ears back against its neck. The female leopard may also communicate with their cubs alot. The sounds are quiet so enemies do not hear. The softest and safest sound of all is purring.
Source 13: African Leopard Hissing When Threatened
Spots
The african leopard fur coat protects its skin and keeps it warm. The coat's colours and pattern helps to camouflage the leopard as it hunts prey. The african leopard coats have two layes, an undercoat of short soft fur and an outercoat of tougher, longer hairs, called guard hairs. Together these two layers insulate the leopard from extreme cold or exteme heat. Some guard hairs are senstive and help a leopard to feel its way. The african leopard loose skin, making it difficult for an attacker to get a good grip and helping to prevent injuriy. The colours and patterns of the wild leopard coats depends on where it lives.
Source 14: African Leopard Skin Pattern
Other Relatives-Panthers
Many leopard of the same species come in variation of colour, depending on where they live. The leopard sometimes may have a twin, but the other one may have a much darker, blackish coat. This black leopard are called panthers, Some panthers live deeply in the shadows of the forest, where darker colouring allows the panther to hide more easily from their prey or enemies. Panther are most commonly located within Asia.
Source 15: Panther
Phycological Behaviour and Diet
Hunting
African Leopard spend a lot of time in trees and they are designed for climbing. The african leopard have a very powerful chests and front legs. Their shoulder blades are positioned to the side to make them better climbers. The african leopard can leap 3m/10ft without any difficulty and, in exceptional circumstances, it can leap over 6m/20ft. The african leopard can chase its prey through the scrub.
When the african leopard stalk, run and pounce, they make use of their flexible backs, strong back legs, powerful chests and cushioning pads under their paws. The african leopard back legs are especially powerful. The back legs provides the major thrust for running. The african leopard can outspace their prey over short distances before launching into a final jump. The thick pads that are under a african leopard are like cushion. The thick pads allows the african leopard to move very quietly and also act as shock absorbers for running and jumping. Hidden between the pads and fur are the leopard's claws, tucked away safely until they are needed.
Source 16: African Leopard Pad
Psycological Behaviour
The african leopard are one of the most widespread of all big cats, but they are also the most secretive. The african leopard live in many different habitats throughout Africa, in open, rocky country as well as in the forest. Not much is known about them because african leopard are nocturnal animals, and the african leopard hunts during the night. They sometimes creep up on prey on the ground, then pounce. At other tines they may ambush their prey from a tree.
The african leopard usually sleep all day in a tree, especially when it is very hot. Their spotted coats are exellent camouflage in the patchwork of light and shade in the forest. They are aso good that, when they are resting, they are especially hard to see. Leopard normally lives alone by themeselve, not like lions they live in pride. African leopard comes together only when a female sigmals to a male that she is ready to mate. After mating they seperate again. The mother african leopard brings up the cubs until thehy are able to fend for themselve.
Diet
The african leopard like to ambush prey.The african leopard will normally climb on to a low branch and wait for an animal to walk underneath. Then the african leopard will then jump down from the tree and grab their prey. The african leopard uses its great strength to drag its victim high up into the tree. Prey that the african leopard will hunt includes pigs, antelopes, monkeys, dogs and many other animals. After hunting their prey, the african leopard will drag its dead victim across the ground. The african leopard have strong jaws, chest and front legs so that they can move animals as big as themselve.. The african leopard will then drags its kill up into tree. This is to prevent the carcass from being stolen. This prevent other big carnivours that live in the same area cannot climb trees so well as the african leopard. Once the prey is safe, the african leopard will finish its meal.
Source 17: African Leopard Eating a antelope on tree
Reproduction and Birth
Reproduction
Arican Leopard roam over large areas, so it can be difficult for them to find a partner. When the female african leopard are ready to mate, they use scent markers. These are like advertisement to all the other male african leopard in the district. A female african leopard will also calls loudly in the hope that a nearby male will come to her. Often more than one male will follow a female. This almost always leads to a fights between the interested males. The winner of the fight then begins to court the female. The african leopard may mate all year around or seasonally during January and Febuary. The estrous cycle may lasts about 46 days amd the female usually is in heat for 6-7 days. The gestations period will lasts for 90-105 days. When the female african leopard is ready to mate, she crouches on the ground with her hindquarters slightly raised. The male african leopard will sit behind and over her and sometimes holds the scruff of her neck between his jaws. The african leopard may mate several times a day for up to a week to make sure that the female african leopard is pregnant.
Source 18: African Leopard Mating
Birth
The African Leopard will normally give birth in a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow trees, or thicket to make a den. The baby african leopard cubs are born with their eyes closed, which will open four to nine days after birth. The fur of the young african leopard cub tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. The african leopard cubs pelage is also more grey in colour with less defined spots. For around three months the cubs begin to follow the mother out on hunts. If at any time a mother african leopard thinks her cubs are in danger, shw will move them to a new den. She carries the cubs one by one, gently grasping the loose skin at their necks between her teeth. A mother african leopard's tail is a good thing for the cub to learn to pounce on. She twitches it so the cub can develop good co-ordination and timing. As the cubs grow, it will practise on rodents and then bigger animals until it can hunt for itself. Once they leave their mothers for around 18-24 months, female cubs will usually establish a territory close by, while males go farther away. The african leopard have been reported to reach 21 years of age in captivity.
Source 19: African Leopard Cub Playing with her mother's tail
Dangers
Enemies
The african leopard natural enemies may include the spotted hyena that lives in Africa and Western Asia. The spotted hyena eats whatever they can find. This is often carrion that the spotted hyena may kill cubs of the african leopard. Hyena have strong jaws and bone-crushing teeth and look for foods at night. The african leopard live in the same areas as cheetahs, but they are very hostile towards them. In fact, if they get a chance cheetahs may prey on leopards and their cubs. Lions will attack and kills a leopard to protect the pride or their territory.
Source 20: African Leopard Natural Enemy: Spotted Hyena
Human Issues
Tourism are one of the major impact that may affect the areas that the african leopard lives in, this may affect the leopard hunting for prey and frightened them away. Big cat trap made by poachers are often traps to catch big cats. When the trap snaps shut, the animal is stuck until it dies or until the poacher return to kill it. These traps cause great pain. A african leopard may try to chew off its trapped leg to escape. Poachers may hunt leopard for meat and to sell their skin to create clothing and decoration. While most leopard avoid people with face to face contact, humans may occasionally be targeted as prey. Most healthy african leopard prefer wild prey than humans. There were two extreme cases occured in India. "The Leopard of Rudraprayag, may have killed over 125 people. The second case "Panar Leopard", was believed to have killed more than 400 people. But over the last years after this two cases, the amount of cases about leopard attacking people has reduced and the population of the leopard has risen, and the african leopard is not concern as a endangered species.
Source 21: Leopard Poacher Hunting For Skin
Past: European Cave Lion :http://designeranimals.wikispaces.com/European+Cave+Lion
Future: Marozi:http://designeranimals.wikispaces.com/Marozi
Bibliography And Links
Links:
1. http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/engleopard.html?zenden=2&subsoort_id=2&bestemming_id=1
2. http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/leopard.html
3. https://www.courses.psu.edu/test/test100_hkr/AFIM/Main_HTML/M_CL.html
Bibliography:
1. Mani, Bhagya. (2010, May 5). Http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=african_leopard&action=history.
2. Travel, Africa. (2010, September 23). Mani, bhagya. (2010, may 5). http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=african_leopard&action=history. .
3. 360, Travel. (2010, October 13). Http://www.destination360.com/africa/kenya/leopard.
4. Crawford, Gerald. (2010, August 30). Http://ezinearticles.com/?south-african-leopard-travel-information&id=515742.
5. Bartels , John. (2009, November 22). Http://endangered-species.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_south_african_leopard.